


A Friendly Debt, Part 1

by coffee_and_wolfsbane



Series: Fanfics from Tumblr [1]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Lingerie, M/M, Oral Sex, Prostitution, Slight Verbal Humiliation, Smoking, Suggestive Themes, background threesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:15:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23675233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffee_and_wolfsbane/pseuds/coffee_and_wolfsbane
Summary: The anon ask prompt: Julian is broke and has to work in brothel to pay the rent. And Asra is his first customer
Relationships: Asra x Julian - Relationship
Series: Fanfics from Tumblr [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1704736
Comments: 5
Kudos: 38





	A Friendly Debt, Part 1

Julian had to duck when he entered the brothel’s side entrance. The entire place was heavily laced with incense, and pale-red smoke curled up in the air in tantalizing swirls. The faint beating of drums almost drowned out the various sighs and moans that echoed against the lowered ceilings.

“You’re not bad looking,” the madam of the brothel stated frankly, grabbing Julian’s chin and twisting his head from side to side. “You’re alright with servicing men and women?”

Julian felt a blush heat up his face. “Whatever pays more,” he mumbled. _The whole idea that doctors are as rich as counts is a lie._ He didn’t want to get evicted from another place, so he had to make fast coin in order to pay his landlord the next morning.

“Taking male clients will get some food money for you, don’t worry,” the madam said. “The patch needs to go, however.”

Julian shook his head. “I survived the plague. I don’t want anyone thinking I’m still infected,” he explained under his breath.

The madam let out a sharp crack of laughter. “Oh, darling. They won’t be looking at your face,” she assured Julian, and shoved him into a cramped private dressing room. “Put on whatever you think will look best. I’d avoid any bright colors, since you’re so pale. Black or red will do. I’ll come fetch you when I have a client for you.” 

The curtain was snapped shut in Julian’s face and he sat down on a plush cushion. He hated that his hands shook a little when he went to untie the patch that covered his greatest failure. He glanced in the mirror and tried to adjust his hair to cover the red-tinged eye.

When he started poking through the sheer clothing that was available, he was relieved that it seemed clean. Julian picked up what was obviously a thong for a man and immediately threw it to the side. 

“The prettier you’re dressed, the more they pay,” a soft voice said from above him. Julian jerked in surprise and peered around in the dim candle light. A woman in a sheer robe had moved the curtain to the side and picked up the lingerie piece. “Here. This, underneath those silk pants and the black-edged robe will be fine. Is it your first night?” she asked.

Julian took the thong back and flushed. “Y-yes, I’m waiting for my first customer.”

The woman crossed her arms. “You might be waiting for a bit. The madam likes to sell to the highest bidder. If you need something for the pain afterwards, come find me,” she said with a wave of her hand, and Julian was alone again.

_Highest bidder, huh?_ Julian thought, and he quickly stripped and changed into the outfit the other working girl had pointed to. The underwear was made from some weird mesh-like fabric, and it didn’t do much to cover him. He got on the flowy pants and the robe, tapping his fingers against his thigh nervously.

Julian wasn’t sure how much time had passed. The smell of the incense kept trying to lure him into a haze, and he was constantly snapping out of a dazed half-sleep. 

The madam shoved the curtain back, making him jump in surprise again, and gave Julian a concise once-over. “You look presentable,” she decided. She added a jeweled clip to Julian’s hair so it stayed fixed over his red eye. “Come on. We have someone that’s a regular and wants something new. He’s a more dominant type, so just be good and obey him, and you’ll earn the coin,” the madam instructed, taking Julian’s wrist and leading him through the winding hallways to the main lounge area. There were cushions and large pillows everywhere, and a few hookahs were set up on the low round tables. Julian tried not to look at the customers that were already getting serviced. 

“Don’t be so shy,” the madam hissed. “The other clients will sense it and you’ll be out of a job faster than one of the them can get you undressed.”

“S-s-sorry,” Julian mumbled. _Deep breaths. This’ll be over soon. One night, and then you’ll never have to come here again._

The madam led Julian to the back of the rooms, and there were only two people lounging there, talking idly. The first had two girls in their lap, but the second was a good distance away, watching with an bored expression. He was smoking something that smelled like dark spices and fruit on a cigarette holder, and Julian froze when he saw the brightly-colored sash that went across the man's chest. Julian’s heart started to pound as he slowly looked up from the second person’s hands to the blue stone pendant, and then over the golden collar around their throat. His worst fears were confirmed, though, when he saw the pale lilac irises and the snow-white halo of curls.

_No. No, no, no, this is some sick joke. This can’t be happening,_ Julian thought as his stomach twisted into knots and dread filled his chest.

Julian met Asra’s eyes and he knew the panic was clear on his face, because Asra actually did a double-take. And then those lavender eyes locked onto Julian with a predatory intent, and Julian's heart rate tripled as it pounded against his sternum.

“Master Magician, here’s the newest addition to our business,” the madam simpered, and Julian seriously thought about bolting. “He doesn’t have much of a rind on him, though, so feel free to discipline him if he displeases you.”

_Asra, say you know me! Turn me away! What are you even doing here?! She said you were a regular!_ Julian’s thoughts became more panicked when Asra slowly set down the cigarette holder on the table and his friend's smile was more a show of baring his teeth.

“He’s perfect, Heather,” Asra purred, and Julian’s face lit up in a blush that was the same shade as his hair. 

“Go on, now. Your customer is waiting,” the madam said, and practically shoved Julian forward. He tripped on the hem of the billowy pants and landed face-first into Asra’s lap with a startled gasp.

Julian’s cheeks were burning as he felt Asra’s hand grip his hair, and suddenly he was looking up at his best friend. Asra had pulled back on his red hair, forcing Julian's face up. 

“Isn’t this a surprise,” Asra drawled, and Julian’s eyes widened as he tried to think of some explanation. 

“W-w-why are you here?” was what Julian’s panic-brain blurted out.

Asra chuckled softly, and the sound made Julian’s skin break out in small bumps.”The same reason why everyone else is here, Ilya,” Asra laughed, and to back up his point, the moans and sighs around them suddenly seemed amplified. 

Julian tried to put his hands out to stead himself, but the only thing he could grab onto was Asra’s thighs. He had landed on his knees-- _don’t think about it, don’t think about it!_ \--between Asra’s legs, and he couldn’t back away due to Asra’s firm grip on his auburn hair.

“N-no, I meant why don’t you get someone different? Someone you don’t know?” Julian mumbled, his real name on Asra’s lips making his mouth dry. 

“Why would I choose one of these used-up girls when I have _you_ , the famous Doctor Devorak, in front of me?” Asra taunted, arching a pale brow. “Is this a kink of yours, Ilya? Or are you hurting for money?” 

Julian’s eyes skittered away and he swallowed convulsively. “F-for the money,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. 

Asra’s eyebrows went up into his curly hair, and the grin that spread across his friend’s face had Julian shaking slightly. “Money? You’re a doctor. How can you be broke?” Asra snorted.

Julian tried to lean away again, but Asra tightened his hold, cranking Julian’s head back and exposing the pale column of Julian’s throat. “Don’t be coy, Ilya. I might act nice and endearing on the outside, but in here, I’m very different,” Asra purred. “Look at me and tell me how much money you need. _Now_.”

Julian had to dampen his lower lip a few times before his voice decided it was able to work. His hands held onto Asra’s thighs and he met his friend’s lilac eyes. “O-one thousand coins,” he whispered. “For rent. I’m two months behind. My landlord is threatening to evict me if I don’t get the money to him by tomorrow.”

Asra let out a soft whistle at the number. “That’s a hefty debt, Ilya. You’ll need to work hard to get that amount of money in one night.”

Julian felt tears prick the corners of his eyes. “I-I know. But between helping Mazelinka and Pasha, I barely had anything left, and what I did have I spent at _The Raven_.” 

Asra made a sympathetic noise and ran his fingers through Julian’s hair, pulling the jeweled clip out and tossing it on the table. “Poor Ilya. The useless plague doctor that doesn’t have any pandemics to cure. I could help you. We _are_ friends, right?” Asra asked, but the gleam in his eyes said his ‘help’ wouldn’t come free.

Julian looked up at Asra hopefully, not catching the calculating look behind Asra’s eyes. “Y-you could? Asra, I don’t know what to say.” _See? You had nothing to panic over,_ Julian thought with a brief flash of relief.

“You won’t need to say anything, Ilya,” Asra murmured, and he grabbed Julian’s chin tightly. “I’ll loan you the money you need, but you’ll be in debt to me instead. Doesn’t that sound nicer?” he said sweetly.

Some sort of alarm went off in Julian’s head, but he nodded slowly, uncertainty on his face. “I promise I’ll pay you back,” he mumbled, his teeth digging into his lower lip. 

“You’ll pay me back, but I’m not interested in the coin. I want your body. How about a little game?” Asra suggested, and he released his hold on Julian's face. He leaned back against the cushions, and Julian’s eyes widened when he saw a hard ridge straining against the soft fabric of Asra’s pants. 

“Game?” Julian repeated dumbly, and he unconsciously licked his lips. 

“Mmmhm. You can stop worrying about the money. After I’m done here, I’ll go to your landlord and pay your debt. But you’ll have to start making up for it now. If you use your mouth on me well enough, I won’t claim your ass,” Asra said, his thumb dragging across Julian’s lips. 

_Use my mouth? Does he mean give him oral?_ Julian thought, and the incense must have been getting into his head again, because his body was humming with a slow burn that spread from his chest down his abdomen, settling in his hips.

When Julian didn’t answer because he was too busy trying to get the images of other things out of his head, Asra caught Julian by the nape of his neck and dragged him forward, pressing Julian’s cheek against his hip. 

“What did I say about answering me, Ilya?” Asra gently chided him, but his pale purple irises flashed dangerously. 

Julian’s breath caught in his throat and his entire body went still. “I’m sorry, Asra,” he whispered automatically, looking up at his friend the best he could, since he was trapped against Asra’s hips. _It could always be worse,_ Julian thought with a gulp. _And if it’s only oral....it’s not like I’ve never thought about him like that. He knows he’s handsome and sexy, and I'm positive now he's noticed that I think of him that way._ “I’ll do it,” Julian mumbled, and he was relieved when the pressure on his temple let up. 

Asra reached over them and took up the long cigarette holder again. “Before you get started, though, I want to see what you wore to entice a paying client,” Asra said, taking a long drag from the smoldering cigarette. 

“I didn’t know you smoked,” Julian said under his breath, and he leaned back slightly to shrug off the robe he had on.

“I know, it’s bad for you and all that, but the smoke is incredibly sweeter when I’m mid-orgasm,” Asra drawled, and Julian flushed deeply. Asra held up a hand and waved Julian back. “Stand up to take off those bottoms, pet.”

Julian cringed a little, but he obediently stood up, his thumbs hesitating on the waistband of the pants. The other customer that Asra had been chatting with wasn’t really paying attention, since they were preoccupied by the two girls they had hired. But the fact that Julian _could_ be watched was making him shift nervously and start to breathe faster. 

Asra snapped his fingers and Julian shook his head slightly, his anxiety-ridden thoughts disappearing. “Focus on me, Ilya. Get those pants off,” Asra hummed, his voice hypnotically low and sultry. 

Julian had to force his eyes shut to muster the courage to whisk the soft material down his legs. He kicked them off to the side and his hands curled into fists as he fought the urge to cover himself.

“Ohhhh, Ilya,” Asra groaned softly, and Julian knew his face was on fire as blood rushed to his cheeks and also to somewhere farther south. “That doesn’t hide anything. You were serious about earning that money.”

Julian’s ears burned along with his face and he hesitantly cracked an eye open. Asra’s light purple gaze was focused on the mesh underwear, and Julian chewed on his bottom lip nervously.

Asra inhaled another lung full of smoke and he crooked a finger at Julian. “Come on, Ilya. Time to pay up,” Asra breathed, and there was wicked anticipation on his best friend’s face. “Let’s put that smart mouth to good use.”


End file.
